The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-11-05
TERRoRs OF poLYeAMY.
The Experience Of . Mormon Girl ~ Re
lated by HERSELF


The Experience Of = Mormon Girl as Re-
latedby Herself
have often been asked to marry
Mormons who had wives. / will tell
you about one Of them, wealthy man,
now dead. His name was Franklin
Neff. One day his wife-the only
had talk with me. She said she
wanted me to marry Mr.. Neff. Twas
only fifteen, but l knew what polyg-
amy was, and had set my heart
against it. well, Mrs. Nen.'' said,
'.if he wants me he'll have to summon
up cheek enough to ask me himself"
said this in fun. and then asked
Mrs. Neff what she thought about it
She said herself and husband had talk
ed the whole matter over, and she had
come to the conclusion that as her hus-
band was obliged TO take second wife
she knew nobody she'd sooner have
him take than myself; therefore she
begged me when he called to give him
q favorable answer. The proposition,
coming from woman thirty-five years
old, who had been married for years to
her husband of about the same age,
and who nd assisted him in accumu-
lating his wealth. was at once strange
and amusing Mr.. Neff called that
same night, and, in answer to his
question. l told him that he must be
crazy to make such an offer of marriage
to mere child, but he insisted that he
was in earnest, and he went to my
mother who, on account Of his high
position in the church, was afraid to
fatty refuse him. Mother said she
would not go againstmy wishes. but if
he could persuade me into polygamy
she would have no objection; at the
same time she warned me not to give
my consent for any consideration.
Mrs. Neff came round to see me sew
eral times, and was always urging me
to marry. her husband, saying that he
could not live without me, and both Of
them would be all the happier for it.
But the more she talked the firmer l
became in my resistance! They in
vited me to spend few days at their
country home. | wanted to refuse,
but mother said l had better go. I
went, and don't think spent more
miserable time anywhere in all my
life. The husband was continually
asking me to go buggy-riding with him
and the wife was coaxing me to con-
sent Still, / thought / saw that the
woman was unhappy. She seemed to
be doing what she did against her will.
A ball was given in the neighborhood
and wanted to go. Mrs. Neff asked
me to go with Frank Chat was her
husbands name). but l said no, /
would go alone, unless she agreed to
go along. She agreed, and we went
That man tried his very hardest that
night to dance with me, and his wife
even asked me to dance with him, but
] kept plenty of engagements ahead
with the young fellows and he got no
| dance.
Some one then told him that would
not dance with him while Mrs. Nefi
was present, so he told her and she
went home. After she went he came
to me and said she had gone and he
hoped now he would have the pleasure
of dance, but continued to make ex-
cuses and avoided him. The time
came to 90 home, and refused to al
low him to accompany me unless there
was third party along. His brother
Amos accompanied us, and after leav.
| ing me at the door the two men went
to Amos Neff's house. found Mrs.
| Neff in her room in tears-a more
heart-broken woman never saw. She
had been sitting there fretting and cry.
ing and moaning for hours, thinking
that was dancing with her husband
and that was coming home alone with
him. And only the night before she
had sat up with me until twelve o. clock
trying to talk me into marrying him,
making all sorts Of promises, and say
ing that herself and Mr. Neff would
write out deeds for one-half of all the
property and possessions they had if
would only give my consent.
She begged me not to say any thing
to her husband about the crying scene
as she said he would scold her for it
but said thought it my duty to tel
him, and also to let him know the
| opinion had of him. told Mrs. Nef
not to grieve. as l would never cause
her the slightest sorrow, and sent hel
to bed much happier woman than
had found her on my coming in. Mex
morning at the breakfast table Mr.. Net
said something about polygamy. Tha'
was all the provocation l wanted.
said: ''Mr. Neff, if you were any kline
of man at all, or had even the com
monest human instincts, you'd le
polygamy alone; you have wife who
is too good for you, and who loves yo,
better than you deserye-stick to hel
and let other women alone.' Then
told him the condition in which 1 hai
found his wife on coming from the ball
His face grew white, and, laying dowr
his knife and fork, he arose from tn,
table ard left the room. went homt
thai morning, and neither saw Mr.
Neff nor heard from him again. H,
never went into polygamy, and fel
very glad of it for the sake of the
heart-broken little woman. to whom ,
second wife by her husbands sid'
would have meant speedy death. :
Salt Lake city Cor. Troy IN y Times
Ivory in London.